Saturday, May 27, 2006

the worst thing you can do

The worst thing you can do is to ride the longest, hardest, most challenging ride you've done so far when you are not mentally or physically prepared to handle it.

Don't do this ride when you have had an emotional week at work. Don't do it when you have heard horrible things have happened to two people you work with. Especially don't do it when something horrible has happened to a former classmate of yours on Monday night.

Don't do this ride when you have a career-questioning week at work--when frustration after frustration mounts in your head and your heart and you don't know how much more you can take of it.

Don't do it unless you are prepared for how hard it will be. How stupid and inadequate you will feel as you crawl up hills miles slower than anyone around you. How your average speed at the end is the lowest you've ever seen it. Don't do your first major ride with lots of hills on this day.

All it will leave you with are some tears and a lot of doubt in your mind about whether or not you can really do this in three months.

So just don't.

Take my word for it.

9 comments:

Ellie Hamilton said...

OMG!!! What happened???

Nancy Toby said...

The bad rides make the good ones better....

Unknown said...

Hey toots! A few tears never did any permanent damage...in fact they probably helped you let loose some of the horror of your week. And more than likely even the worst of rides served you better than sitting at home and dwelling. You're such a positive force with your posts that we sometimes forget you get scared, upset and just plain fed up. Thanks for sharing with us so we can give you the digital hugs and condolences you're always ready to bestow upon us when we need them.

Mojo said...

If you didn't do the hard, bad, make you wanna cry rides you wouldn't know the high from the rockin', smokin', kick ass cool rides.

Good on you for going on a ride when you have a lot on your plate.

greyhound said...

Riding while carrying that kind of extra weight will make you doubt yourself, but there is boundless faith out here that you can borrow when that happens. We know that when you are able to release the extra weight, you're gonna fly.

E-Speed said...

Awwe sweetie, At least you had friends to ride with!

I did my hilly ride (probably nowhere near as hilly as yours) by myself and was thoughorly humiliated when I got passed on the flats by some roadies. Oh well. I made a pact with myself to ride more, and eventually I will have to get better right?

Janet Edwards said...

All of us have off days...the key is to just get back on and have some good ones!

You will be just fine!

Papa Louie said...

But it is what makes you stronger. This is how we learn from the diffucult challenges set before us. You'll make it. Keep it up.

tri buddha said...

some say those kinds of expeiences make us stronger.. and I'm sure there is some truth to that, but 1 truht I have found when riding hills is that the ones that killed you early in the seson seem like mere bumps even a few short weeks later! I hope that your friends are okay, and I hope the next week was better. And has for work.. I am a carpenter and I have the attitude that I was looking for a job when I found this one and that seems to help.